Barriers and Predictors of Reflective Teaching in EFL Contexts: Relationships between Demographic Information and Reflectivity in Iranian Classrooms

Abstract

This mixed-methods study examined the extent and determinants of reflective practice among 100 Iranian EFL teachers and explored perceived barriers that hinder reflective engagement in classroom settings. Using a 53-item reflective teaching questionnaire (Larrivee, 2008) and follow-up interviews with 24 instructors, the study investigated how demographic variables—academic degree, gender, and teaching experience—influence four levels of reflection: prereflection, surface, pedagogical, and critical reflection. MANOVA results revealed that teachers with higher academic qualifications (particularly PhD holders) demonstrated significantly greater pedagogical and critical reflection, while less experienced teachers showed higher prereflection scores. Teaching experience was strongly associated with deeper levels of reflection, indicating a developmental progression from routine, surface-level thinking to more analytical and critical engagement. Gender differences appeared only in pedagogical reflection, where female teachers outperformed male counterparts. The qualitative phase highlighted key obstacles to reflective practice, including lack of time and motivation, emotional fatigue, rigid syllabuses, institutional pressures, insufficient teacher training, large class sizes, and entrenched teaching habits. These findings underscore the need for supportive institutional structures and targeted professional development to cultivate reflective teaching. The study contributes contextually grounded insights to the reflective teaching literature and offers practical recommendations for enhancing reflective capacity in EFL education.